Statement on Protections for Undocumented and Vulnerable Students, ColleaguesFrom the CFA Board of Directors

November 18, 2016

November 17, 2016

The California Faculty Association is a progressive labor union and a leader in higher education, representing the more than 27,000 faculty, librarians, coaches, and counselors in the CSU systems, which serves over 470,000 students in the state of California.

As a union, we advocate for higher educational opportunities for all, including quality education for our students, policies that ensure access to higher education, and fair working conditions for the faculty. True to our mission and values and in light of the recent national election, CFA will among other things:

Defend our most vulnerable colleagues and students from all manner of attacks including racist, sexist, nationalist, homophobic, transphobic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Semitic attacks.

Protect academic freedom, including the rights of faculty, students, and staff to engage in debate and public protest.

Condemn all hate speech and hate crimes on campus and beyond.

Champion the rights of all workers to organize and defend their livelihoods and working conditions.

Further, in order to protect the most vulnerable members of our campus communities, CFA will press Chancellor White and the Board of Trustees to erect every legal bulwark possible to defend our undocumented students, undocumented CSU employees, and their families to ensure that they are not subject to intimidation, unfair investigation, or deportation. In addition to the measures affirmed in the Chancellor’s “Open Letter to Faculty, Staff and Students of the California State University” dated November 17, 2016, the CFA urges the CSU to:

Guarantee student privacy by refusing to release information regarding the immigration status of our students and community members. Refuse to comply with immigration authorities regarding deportations or raids.

Refuse ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) physical access to all land owned or controlled by the CSU.

Provide healthcare stipends for students who do not have access to Medicaid due to lack of documentation and who cannot afford to pay for school insurance.

Offer over-break housing for students who cannot return home due to fear of deportation.

Bring legal experts and immigration activists and advocates to campuses, so that they can provide legal counseling to undocumented students and students with undocumented family members.

In the event that DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is reversed, CFA urges the CSU to:

Ensure that these students continue to receive their financial aid and fellowship stipends by creating special funds, segregated from federal monies and guarantee in-state tuition to students previously deemed DACA recipients.

Create special funding sources to provide undocumented students with stipends, which they can receive in exchange for performing research under the guidance of faculty members or other meaningful educational projects.

Assign a specific office and designated staff who will assist DACA students and other students who lack the privilege of citizenship on a strictly confidential basis.

CFA is committed to work in coalition with our partners in higher education, labor, and the community to protect these values and honor these commitments. Our union will stand in solidarity with Native people and people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, women, and members of religious communities who may be targeted for intimidation and violence. We invite all members of the CSU community to join us in our efforts.